


Protect

by RadarsTeddyBear



Series: Ducktober 2018 [11]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fictober, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, prompt: self-sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-29 19:18:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16270673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadarsTeddyBear/pseuds/RadarsTeddyBear
Summary: Scrooge and the kids run into Magica De Spell on an adventure, and Lena does everything she can to keep her from getting her revenge.





	Protect

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: ["Self-Sacrifice"](http://radarsteddybear.tumblr.com/post/169006603389/whumpreads-i-dont-draw-but-ive-been-thinking).

“Well, well, look who we have here,” an all-too familiar voice said.

Lena froze.

“Ah, Magica De Spell,” Mr. McDuck said.  “I had a feeling we might run into you around here.”

“What is it that brings you to Italy?” Magica said.  With a pang of fear, Lena noticed that her skin had regained its green coloring

“Priceless artifact.  What else?” Louie said.

“Easy, lad,” Mr. McDuck muttered, putting an arm out to keep him from getting any closer.

“Oh?  And what artifact would that be?” Magica asked.

“Just the Sword of Attila,” Scrooge said.  “You don’t happen to know where it is, do you?”

“Really, Scroogie.  I expected better from you,” Magica said.  “You’re a little too far west. The Sword of Attila has been in the Austro-Hungarian region for over 900 years.  I hear you can see it in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, if you’d like.”

Mr. McDuck huffed.  “Everybody outside of Central Europe knows that’s not the real sword.”

“And you think the real one will be here?” Magica asked.

“We do,” Mr. McDuck said.

“Hmm.  It’s a pity,” Magica said.  “You know I’m not going to let you look for it.”

“I was prepared for that,” Mr. McDuck said, though Lena could have sworn he was starting to look uneasy.

“Oh, were you, now?” Magica said.  “I’ve learned a few new tricks since I got out of your stupid dime!”

“As have I, De Spell,” Mr. McDuck said, taking a fighting stance.  

Lena’s eyes darted frantically between the two of them.  Her breath quickened. This couldn’t be happening.

Magica raised her staff and magical energy began to crackle around her.  

Lena’s heart raced as she desperately tried to anticipate what was going to happen.

Magica pulled her staff back.  “Eat dust, Scroogie!” she shouted, flinging her staff forward and letting loose a dense charge of white-hot magic.

Time seemed to slow down.  “No!” Lena shouted, running in front of Scrooge.  It felt like she was in a dream, running as fast as she could but going nowhere fast.  In one last, frantic push, she leapt into the path of the magic, colliding with it in a blinding flash of bright white light.

 

* * *

 

Lena felt like she was floating in a white emptiness.  There was no up, or down, or warm, or cold, or air, or feeling, or anything.  It was almost like being back in the shadow realm, not also not. Lena felt peaceful and calm.  There was nothing to worry about. Lena slowly became aware of a high-pitched whine filling her ears.  But everything was still ok. Right? Lena wasn’t entirely sure anymore. There was something...

 

* * *

 

Lena groaned as her eyes fluttered open.  Cool water was being pressed to her lips.

“What...where…” she began, regaining her bearings.  The memory of what had happened came back to her with a jolt.  “Magica! Is she--?”

“Gone,” Mr. McDuck said.  “You’re safe. She won’t be bothering us again today.”

Lena allowed herself to relax, and then winced as she began to feel the aching pain in her muscles now that the adrenaline was leaving her system.

“That was a really brave thing you did,” Webby said, putting a water bottle down on the ground.

Lena shook her head.  “It was nothing,” she said.   _She owed them so much more._

“You near came unraveled back there,” Mr. McDuck said.

“Unraveled…?” Lena said.

“You almost turned back into a shadow,” Webby said.  It was rare to see her so worried and upset.

“Huh,” Lena said slowly.  “I didn’t know that could happen.”

“You’ve gotta be more careful,” Webby said, fiddling with the fabric of her skirt.  “I couldn’t…” Webby trailed off, biting her beak.

“It was reckless,” Mr. McDuck said harshly, and Lena couldn’t stifle a flinch.  “ _Don’t_ do it again.”

Lena looked down, trying to hold back the tears gathering in her eyes.  She could just about see Webby stand up and walk away, and she could practically hear her thoughts.   _Uncle Scrooge is right.  Lena’s too dangerous to have around._

Lena felt more than saw Mr. McDuck sit down next to her.  

“Lena,” he began.  He paused, and Lena held her breath, waiting for him to tell her that he was kicking her out of the family.  Or maybe, if she was lucky, that he was putting her on probation.

But instead, he put a hand on her shoulder.  “It was a very brave thing you did,” he said.

Lena looked up at him in surprise.

“But ye have to understand--” he started.

“But I had to!” Lena shouted, her words choked with sobs.  “She-she was going to hurt you! She wants to _kill_ you!”

Mr. McDuck moved himself so that he was in front of Lena, and he gently raised her chin until she was looking at him.

“Lena, ye scared us half to death,” Mr. McDuck said.  “Ye-ye scared _me_ half to death.  You can’t--” he took a breath, “We can’t lose you.”

And with that, Lena burst into tears and launched herself at Mr. McDuck, who wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she sobbed.  

Lena wasn’t sure how much time passed, but she knew that, at some point, Webby joined in, crying almost as hard as she was.  And some time after that, she started to hear the roar of propellers growing louder outside.

“That’ll be Launchpad and the boys,” Mr. McDuck said, disentangling himself from his nieces and standing up.  “It’s high time we head back home.”

“Home?” Lena asked, wiping her tears away.  “What about the sword?”

“It can wait a little while longer,” Mr. McDuck said.  “It’s not going anywhere.”

Webby took Lena by the hand, and together they returned to the Sunchaser, where Lena was welcomed with open and very relieved arms.


End file.
